Abstract
Schizotypal Personality Disorder is a disorder that most people are unaware of. This disorder affects individuals’ thought patterns and it causes delusional images and discomfort. Most people who suffer from Schizotypal Personality Disorder do not realize it. This is because it affects people in different ways and its severity differs from one person to another. Schizotypal Personality Disorder is denoted by a constant disturbance in one’s thoughts, appearance, and behavior (Coon, 2013). However, this disease is different from all other strains in the schizophrenic range (Coon, 2013).
Definition
In other strains of Schizotypal Personality Disorder, victims are delusional and they cannot tell the difference between paranoia and the real world. On the other hand, patients with Schizotypal Personality Disorder are able to tell the difference between the real world and their delusions (Chmielewski, Bagby, Markon, Ring, & Ryder, 2014). One of the most notable characteristics of people suffering from Schizotypal Personality Disorder is that they have problems in expressing their emotions (Chmielewski et al., 2014). Such people also have major difficulties in socializing which leads to social detachment.
Causes
Schizotypal Personality Disorder cannot be attached to or associated with a particular or specific cause. There are many different factors that cause this ailment. They include genetic, biological, social, and psychological factors, among other causes (Chmielewski et al., 2014). In addition, some people develop Schizotypal Personality Disorder due to a combination of the aforementioned factors. It is important to note that genetic causes are more prevalent since more people with a close relative who has Schizotypal Personality Disorder have high chances of developing the same problem.
Symptoms
Individuals suffering from Schizotypal Personality Disorder display several characteristics. Such people are highly sensitive to other people’s comments. Whenever a remark is made in their presence, they think that it was meant to describe them. They get offended by remarks that may not have been made in reference to them. Another symptom of people who suffer from Schizotypal Personality Disorder includes keeping very few friends.
These are individuals who like being alone and they get very uncomfortable in the company of others. In order to deal with the void of loneliness within them, they tend to create magical or imaginary friends. Patients suffering from Schizotypal Personality Disorder are known to have magical and odd beliefs (Coon, 2013). This characteristic is one of the coping mechanisms that victims develop to deal with their lonely lives. Nonetheless, Schizotypal Personality Disorder victims are always aware of their weird and magical imaginations and they even know that it is not real. However, they simply cannot stop themselves from creating such odd beliefs.
In addition, such people also display awkward characteristics in terms of their speech and thought patterns. They may dress up in very awkward outfits that may be considered socially inappropriate (Kerridge, Saha, & Hasin, 2014). They also utter very controversial words and their actions and pattern of thinking may offend many people around them. Individuals suffering from Schizotypal Personality Disorder also display a very high level of social anxiety (Kerridge, Saha, & Hasin, 2014). They become very anxious and paranoid and they always feel that other people are out to harm them (Kerridge, Saha, & Hasin, 2014).
Therefore, they become very suspicious of others and this is mainly based on their odd thinking patterns (Coon, 2013). Another conspicuous symptom of Schizotypal Personality Disorder is that individuals tend to express inappropriate emotional responses (Coon, 2013). For instance, such people are not moved or emotionally affected by emotional events such as the death of close friends or family members. This may be perceived to be very inappropriate by a normal person.
Diagnosis
In order to perform an effective diagnosis of Schizotypal Personality Disorder, the aforementioned symptoms must be checked. It is important to ensure that the DSM-IV criteria of Schizotypal Personality Disorder diagnosis have been met (Coon, 2013). After a whole examination of the patient, a doctor will examine the patient’s medical history in order to rule out any possibilities of other medical causes (Coon, 2013). The patient is examined carefully to determine whether the issues are physical or emotional. When the cause is fully determined, then the patient is referred to the relevant medical professional (Coon, 2013).
Treatment
Schizotypal Personality Disorder is mostly treated through a psychotherapeutic process although there are medicines to lessen its effects. However, Schizotypal Personality Disorder has no cure. All the remedies given are to lessen its effects and improve an individual’s relationship with others. Its severity may reduce over time as the patient practices more positive experiences among friends and family (Thompson, Rosell, Slifstein, Girgis, Xu, Ehrlich, & Siever, 2014). Research has shown that the highest percentage of people seeking treatment has been forced into it by their friends, peers, and family (Thompson et al., 2014). Few people suffering from Schizotypal Personality Disorder seek treatment on their own.
Effects
Since such individuals are socially isolated, they develop a very weak social support network (Chmielewski et al., 2014). This affects their ability to maintain a job, especially where they are required to be socially interactive. Some of these people have major problems in keeping a relationship or holding on to a marriage.
References
Chmielewski, M., Bagby, R. M., Markon, K., Ring, A. J., & Ryder, A. G. (2014). Openness to experience, intellect, Schizotypal personality disorder, and psychoticism: resolving the controversy. Journal of personality disorders, 28(4), 483-499.
Coon, D. (2013). Introduction to Psychology: Gateways to Mind and Behavior with Concept Maps and Reviews, 13th Edition. New York, NY: Cengage Learning
Garakani, A., & Siever, L. J. (2015). Schizotypal Personality Disorder. The Encyclopedia of Clinical Psychology, 1(1): 11-15.
Kerridge, B. T., Saha, T. D., & Hasin, D. S. (2014). DSM-IV Schizotypal personality disorder: a taxometric analysis among individuals with and without substance use disorders in the general population. Mental Health and Substance Use, 7(4), 446-460.
Thompson, J. L., Rosell, D. R., Slifstein, M., Girgis, R. R., Xu, X., Ehrlich, Y., & Siever, L. J. (2014). Prefrontal dopamine D1 receptors and working memory in Schizotypal personality disorder: a PET study with [11C] NNC112. Psychopharmacology, 231(21), 4231-4240.